


Smoochy Smoochy Time

by IrisPlumeria



Series: Zutara Week 2019 - Trope City [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alcohol, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dadko, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Established Relationship, F/M, Family Drama, Family Fluff, Flirting, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, Making Out, Meet the Family, Minor Aang/Toph Beifong (Avatar), Momtara, Moonshadow Elf Katara, Parent Katara (Avatar), Romance, Sun Elf Zuko, THE DRAGON PRINCE AU, The Dragon Prince Alternate Universe, The Dragon Prince Spoilers, Toph Being Awesome, Wine, wine drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-30
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2020-07-27 09:54:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20044042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IrisPlumeria/pseuds/IrisPlumeria
Summary: After a hard day at work Sun Elf Zuko tries to comfort his Moonshadow Elf lover Katara with kisses, cuddles and a bottle of wine.It was a shame the family had to barge in.“Sorry to interrupt but look who’s here!”





	Smoochy Smoochy Time

**Author's Note:**

> Strangely enough, nothing bad happened like the sun beating down on me or accidentally tearing up my notes happened when I wrote this fic. It must be... The power of The Dragon Prince! :D 
> 
> If you aren't aware, one of the writers from Avatar: The Last Airbender is now the show runner of his own series. His name is Aaron Ehasz and given how excellent The Dragon Prince is as a TV series, I think he's one of the main reasons that Avatar: The Last Airbender was of such high quality. I'd recommend The Dragon Prince to people who haven't even watched Avatar! 
> 
> The reason I'm telling you this is because this fanfic is set in The Dragon Prince universe, so if you haven't watched season 1 yet, this fic will contain some spoilers. Do yourself a favour and go watch it, season 1 takes about 3 hours total to watch in one sitting (I've done it twice) and come back to read and appreciate this fic. You may thank me with kudos and compliments about my good taste. :) 
> 
> For those of you who have already watched TDP... Have you considered Sun Elf Zuko and Moonshadow Elf Katara... making out? Like TDP, I highly recommend it.

“I’m shattered.” Zuko groaned as he and Katara collapsed on the sofa together. 

“Same.” Katara sighs as she lays onto Zuko’s chest. It had been a long day and they were both grateful to retreat to the safety of their camp after completing their respective missions, especially as it seemed the humans were getting more crafty and difficulty to deal with. 

Katara smiled when Zuko wrapped his arms around her waist and tucked his chin over her head, so he could smell her hair. 

“I haven’t taken a bath yet.” she was hoping they could take one together later. 

“Don’t care.” he took in another whiff of her scent and nuzzled her head. 

“You’re gross.” Katara giggled. “Gross sun elf.” 

In retaliation Zuko leaned his head back to lull Katara into a false sense of security before he nipped one of her pointy ears. He smirked at how she laughed her head off at his devious attempt at revenge and proceeded to beat her knuckles against his chest. Zuko cackled when it was clear she wasn’t using her full strength to get her own back. 

As she started to calm down, Zuko pressed his forehead to Katara’s as if he was asking permission, which she happily granted by pressing a sweet kiss to his lips. It tasted better than hot morning potion and made Zuko feel better than any medicine could, and the fact Katara felt the same made it a hundred times more pleasurable. Which is why he moaned as he pulled away to end those heavenly few seconds, but he just had to tenderly caress her cheek and tell her: 

“I’ve missed the sound of your laugh.” 

Katara smirked as she squeezed the hand touching her face. 

“Really? You didn’t seem to like it so much before we got together.” Katara’s teasing always made Zuko shiver from his head to his toes but she was right, Katara had always known how to push Zuko’s buttons.

“I don’t mind being a source of entertainment for you if I get to kiss you.” And if it makes you happy, he thought to himself. 

“How romantic.” Katara teased. 

“I’m serious.” He squeezed her middle again and pulled her closer. “You’ve been really tense for the last couple of days. What is troubling you my love?” 

“Oh, we’re using pet names now?” Katara nuzzled Zuko’s face as she continued to try and rile her lover up. She grinned when she heard the sound of him purring. “Don’t judge me?” 

“Never.” Zuko promised as he kissed her cheek. “I’d be a pretty big hypocrite if I started doing that.” Let’s just say… Zuko had a history and had to redeem himself in an epic fashion to gain Katara’s trust (and as a consequence, her heart).

Katara drew circles on Zuko’s chest to help her think. “I’m worried about Aang.” 

“Why? He’s one of the fastest and strongest of the moonshadow elves.” Zuko paused to think. “Well actually… sky elves raised by moonshadow elves… sky moonshadow elf? I don’t know, but the point is that he can take care of himself and you and Sokka did a wonderful job of making sure he could stand on his own two feet.” 

“But he’s never killed anyone before.” Katara frowned as regret seeped into her heart. “I should have gone with him.” 

Zuko cuddled his lover and rubbed soothing circles on her back, causing Katara to purr in gratitude. 

“I know how you feel. Sending him off wasn’t easy, but we were needed here at home and Aang was the best elf for the job.” Zuko took Katara’s chin in her hand and looked into her eyes. “Trust your judgement Katara. You’ve never been wrong about him.” 

“But I feel I forced him into it.” Zuko frowned, remembering how Aang had discovered his people’s teachings against violence when they found the long abandoned Southern Air Temple. While Zuko agreed with the sky elves and their philosophy, sticking to those principles outside the air temples was incredibly difficult to practice in war time. Especially with a queen who would accept nothing less but cold, hard justice and revenge after what happened to her husband and child. 

“Taking a life is something no one should have to do, but he knows why it must be done. He is a sky elf, but one’s origins don’t make the sum of their character. He made a vow and I know he will keep it.” Zuko said, hoping that the slaughter of Aang’s people would be enough to make him want to seek revenge, if not for himself but for all elves. “And I know he won’t let the sky elves down. I know he won’t let  _ you _ down.”

After he finished talking, the way Katara looked at him made him feel like she could bend the air from his lungs and that he would thank her for the privilege (despite his rational mind knowing good and well that Katara is a waterbender). He didn’t think he would ever get tired of the way she gazed lovingly at him. 

“Enough talk about Aang.” she commanded. “Kiss me!” 

She didn’t have to tell him twice, but unfortunately their passionate kiss wouldn’t last very long. Sokka slammed the door open and didn’t have the decency to run away in the opposite direction to babble the same nonsense Zuko would hear every time Sokka walked in on the couple. 

“Sorry to interrupt smoochy smoochy time but look who’s here!” Zuko ignored Sokka’s forced, toothy grin and tense shoulders as soon as Aang came into sight. 

“You’re back!” Katara leapt off of Zuko to give Aang the biggest platypus bear hug he had ever received, which would have infuriated Zuko had he not also loved Aang like a brother. “I knew you could do it, but I’m so relieved to see that you’re back safe and sound.” 

But Zuko noticed that something was off about Aang when he started imitating Sokka’s fake smile… 

“You must report to the Queen at once to tell her the good news! Finally she can move forward now that she knows her family has been avenged.” Katara said. 

“Yeah…” Aang scratched the back of his head, nervously mulling over whatever was going on inside mind. He took a deep breath before a little blush made his cheeks glow pink. “About that… During my mission plans kind of changed and… there’s someone I would like you to meet.” 

Zuko’s only eyebrow arched in curiosity because it sounded like Aang had brought someone special home to meet the family. He smirked as he watched Katara squeal in delight, clapping her hands together in anticipation of meeting Aang’s new beau before he went out into the hallway and grabbed the hand of a cloaked stranger. 

“Everyone… Meet Toph Beifong, Princess of Katolis.” 

In the moment Toph pulled back her hood and revealed a lack of pointy ears or horns, Zuko could feel the room turn ice cold. He watched his lover’s hands shake into fists and her body started to become almost invisible to the naked eye, something that usually happened when the moon was out. Somehow, no doubt thanks to her training with Master Pakku, Katara was able to achieve the Moon Primal Connection through sheer rage even if she wasn't directly under its moonlight. 

Zuko never admitted this before because Katara would never let him live it down and he had his pride as a warrior, but he found her extremely hot whenever she got like this. 

“Have you lost your mind!” Katara screamed as soon as she processed what her adopted brother had done.

“I ask him that question everyday.” Toph quipped, but everyone ignored her. 

“Katara, let Aang explain-” Sokka tried to butt in to ease the tension. 

“Explain how he brought a  _ human _ to our home! After everything they have done to us?” Katara cried and ignored how her brother winced at her retort. Their mother's death at the hands of humans was still a very painful memory for their family. 

“Katara-” Aang said before he was interrupted by the incensed moonshadow elf. 

“No! I don’t want to hear any excuses for why you would bring back a human after what they did to the King and his son! And I won’t stand here and watch you try to justify what they did to our family!” 

Toph didn’t seem to care that Katara had tarred all humans with the same brush, but she did look concerned about her companion, who was shaking with rage in spite of his usually gentle temperament. 

“I’d never do such a thing!” Aang shouted and clutched at his staff so hard his knuckles turned white. “And fighting with the humans won’t bring back the ones we’ve lost Katara!” 

“Oh, but bringing home your human girlfriend will help let bygones be bygones?” Katara hissed, crossing her arms defiantly. She was too angry with Aang to notice Toph’s snickering or the way Aang’s body turned hot at what she was suggesting. “You’re better than this!” 

“Is killing humans for no reason ‘better’ Katara?” Aang replied. “Do you want me to murder innocents to satisfy your thirst for revenge?” 

“You knew what you were getting into when you swore an oath to the Queen! When you told me this is what you were destined to do!” Katara smacked her forehead, before turning away from Aang. Zuko’s chest ached as she became less opaque, her stance sad and defeated. “I trusted you!” 

“Because you wanted me to be like you!” Aang cried, his eyes beginning to water to the point that Zuko wanted to come between him and Katara and give him a hug. From the way his body trembled and how tatty his clothes looked, Zuko could tell he had been through a lot during what seemed like a life changing road trip. “I thought being a moonshadow elf was what I wanted, but I changed! I changed because I saw that there was a better path to follow!” 

“And what path was that?” Toph took this question as her queue to finally barge into the family feud. 

“Allow me to demonstrate.” 

Zuko removed his hunting knife from his belt when Toph reached into her cloak to grab for something he feared may have been a weapon, but dropped it when he saw what exactly Toph had pulled out of thin air. 

“I know this doesn’t make up for your losses,” Toph said, looking humble since the first time she had entered their lives. “but I hope this is enough to prove that I want to make things right.”    


“It’s beautiful…” Katara gasped as she gently touched the surface of the egg, her fear and anger vanishing in its glorious light. She stared at it as if she was looking at an aurora borealis and felt her heart skip a beat as she felt the signs of new life pulsing under the egg’s fragile exterior. Zuko could see from its unique patterns that this egg belonged to none other than the future dragon prince, the heir to Xadia. “Where did you find this?” 

“It’s a long story.” Toph said. “Probably too long for a bed-time story, but hopefully Mama won’t care once I deliver her baby boy.” 

When Katara and Sokka shared a grimace, Zuko knew they had the same fear. Despite the look of hope in Aang’s eyes, Zuko knew that the Water Tribe siblings did not share Aang and Toph’s optimism. 

“Let’s… sleep on that idea.” Sokka suggested, before cooing at the egg. “I bet this little guy’s tuckered out from the long trip.” 

Toph snorted. “You have no idea!” 

“Okay, let’s go to my room before anyone changes their mind!” Aang squeaked in a panic, rushing to shove Toph and the little dragon prince out the door. 

“Wait!” Katara snapped, finally snapping out of her stupor. “It is far too dangerous for you to take the prince back to the castle. You’re all staying here until morning.”

Zuko nearly snickered at Aang’s pout, but at least he had appeared to calm down. “Are you gonna let Toph go free when morning comes?”    


Katara took a deep breath to calm herself. 

“Provided she doesn’t do anything that warrants arrest, she can stay until we decide what the best course of action is. This is a very delicate situation and if we take one misstep, it’s over for all of us”    


“Guess we won’t be breaking any rules while we’re here little guy.” Toph snarked at the egg while Katara continued to follow her policy of ignoring the human. 

“The same rule applies to you too.” Katara glared at Aang. “What you did was treason.” 

Aang looked like he wanted to continue arguing, but backed off. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have taken that oath if I wasn’t prepared to go through with it, and now I’m paying the price.” 

Katara flinched at how much the binding made the rest of Aang’s arm turn blue from how tight it was. Zuko wanted to get up and try to burn the binding off, but the only thing holding him back was the fact that he knew it wouldn't work.

Zuko also refused to intervene because Katara finally seemed to be listening to what Aang had to say, and he liked to encourage the people he cared about to resolve their own conflicts.

That was how Iroh raised him and he eventually followed the right path. Better late than never, right? 

“But I did what I did because… you taught me to be true to myself, even when it’s hard.” Aang smiled at Katara with great affection as they both remembered Master Pakku had tried to prevent Katara becoming a moonshadow elf because she was a girl. Zuko bristled at the memory of her teacher’s sexism when she told him that story. “That’s why if I had killed Toph, even when the egg was still alive and well, I knew I wouldn’t be able to face you when I came back.” 

Zuko grinned at his lover when it appeared she was struggling to stay mad at her young ward. 

“Just go to the spare room next door and don’t come out until I come get you tomorrow morning.” Katara said. “I’ll come see you later to have a look at your arm. I don’t know if we’ll be able to break the binding without Her Majesty having a look at it, but I’ll do my best.” When a moonshadow elf swears an oath and marks the occasion with a binding, it was impossible to remove without completing the oath or getting help from the Royal Family. 

Aang gave a sigh of relief. 

“Thank you Katara.” 

“Oh trust me, you won’t be thanking me when I try to tear that thing off your arm. It’s not pleasant so prepare yourself for a lot of pain.” 

“Feisty.” Toph giggled before turning her head in Zuko’s direction. He could feel Toph looking at him, but from how glassy her green eyes were, Zuko suspected that she couldn’t ‘see’ him. “I think you’re in for some rough smoochy smoochy time lover boy.” 

“Leave human!” Katara hissed at Toph. 

“Good day Madame Elf!” Toph curtseyed in the most obnoxious fashion before Sokka grabbed her by the scruff of her neck, not wanting Aang or Toph to push their luck with his sister. Sokka gave Katara an apologetic look before pushing the intruders out the door, silently promising he would explain how they snuck into the camp. 

“Oh that sneaky, conniving human!” Katara snarled as soon as everyone else had gone. “What was Aang thinking?” 

Zuko poured a glass of red wine, thankful that the relatives had given back their alone time. 

“Perhaps the reality of taking another’s life finally hit him when he met his target…” Zuko gave a wry smirk. “And maybe he thought that the target was pretty cute.” 

“Be serious Zuko!” 

“I’m only telling you what happened to me when we first met in battle.” Zuko said. 

“Do you usually call girls you like a peasant?” Katar growled at him, getting up in his space. 

“I didn’t say that I hadn’t repressed my desires for you.” Zuko nonchalantly took a sip of wine. “Given how gorgeous you are, it was torture.”

“I’m going to torture you if you don’t smarten up in the next five seconds.” Katara took some relief from jabbing her boyfriend in the chest with her index finger. Zuko ignored the barb and held his wine glass up to her. 

“Will you accept this as an apology?” 

Katara side-eyed him before snatching the cup from his grasp. 

“For now.” she said before she glugged the wine down. She signed when she finished, her cheeks glowing. “What a miraculous disaster.” 

“Miraculous disaster?” Zuko asked. 

“I mean it’s both wonderful how they found the dragon prince, but terrible that Aang didn’t just do the job that he was assigned! I don’t know how King Lao* vanished, but I don’t think the Queen is going to be happy when the Princess of Katolis just comes waltzing into the throne room with her unborn child!” 

“Why not?” Zuko was aware of the potential risks with this plan but he thought any mother would be relieved to see her child safe and sound. 

“Because while she’ll have her son, her husband is still gone forever.” Katara collapsed on the sofa, exhaustion coursing through her body. “I really appreciate what they’re trying to do Zuko, but one grand gesture is not enough to bury centuries of bad blood.” 

Zuko held up the wine bottle and Katara wordlessly accepted the offer of more alcohol by holding out her glass. As Zuko poured the liquid into her cup, he said: “But it’s like Toph said. It’s a start. Not long ago you hated my guts, but now you’re here with me.” 

Katara closed the tiny space between them on the sofa to kiss Zuko’s scarred cheek. When they first fought in battle to secure territory for their respective peoples, Zuko had never imagined Katara would so much as look at him without hatred and disgust, now her kisses set him ablaze in the best way possible. “That’s different Zuko.” 

“Is it?” the war between elves had been long and unpleasant, but the humans had helped them to unite against one cause. Couldn’t peace be achieved between humans and elves too? 

“I don’t think that human would risk her life for the prince or stay by his side during his darkest hour.” Katara said as she bitterly stared into her glass. 

“Given how Aang seems to trust her implicitly, maybe she already has.” 

Katara glared at Zuko, but as the expression was accompanied by a cute little pout and red cheeks, it had no bite.

“Stop being so smart!” Katara said. “You’re making me miss the times you were dumb as dirt." 

Zuko chuckled, finding her description of the banished teenage prince he used to be very accurate. “Sorry, I don’t think I can stop growing up now that I’ve started.” 

“Well stop then!” Katara laughed, a smile returning to her lips. “Do you… really think everything is going to be okay?” 

Zuko held her hand and squeezed it. “Like I said would happen, Aang didn’t let you down. He just did things his own way. And hopefully Aang’s way will pay off.” 

Katara put down the wine glass, took the bottle from Zuko and laid him down on the sofa to give him another quick smooch. “I love you.” 

“Me too.” he replied as a smug smile graced his lips. “Smoochy smoochy time?” 

“I’m gonna kill my brother for inventing that.” she groaned. “But yes, smoochy smoochy time. I need to be in a good mood before I face Aang and his human bride later.” 

“Oh so I’m just stress relief now?” Zuko teased, knowing full well that was one of the ways Katara liked to comfort him when he felt like he was about to set Xadia on fire. 

“The best kind.” Katara quipped before putting all her love and affection into the next kiss, showing that she was glad to have this big, dumb sun elf in her life. 

**Author's Note:**

> \- Lao is the name of Toph’s dad, just in case anyone forgot. I know I did. I need to rewatch ATLA.  
\- What did you think of the way I interpreted Aang's struggles in the TDP universe? Not to toot my horn but I thought it was more compelling than the season finale because this fic somewhat explores the consequences of his decision. Think I'm wrong? FITE ME in the comments! I LIVE FOR DRAMA! :D  
\- The title of this fic wasn't going to be Smoochy Smoochy time but I thought of Mr. Ehasz and felt he would personally be disappointed in me if I DIDN'T make this the title. Good things happen when you channel your inner Sokka. :D  
\- My next Zutara week entry is going to be late (probably Friday or Saturday) because I have real life stuff I need to concentrate on but thank you all you lovely people who liked / kudos'd / commented - it really made my Zutara Week special.


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